I'll never understand why people repost fanart that's already on tumblr. Like...you didn't create that. That's not YOURS. Reblog the artist's post! It sucks to have to look at a post and make sure it's the original artist's work and not someone reposting it for likes.
Dan Heng didn't realize that Stelle would evolve from being the mysterious new Astral Express member to someone he couldn't bear to lose.
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Dan Heng found the newest member of the Astral Express rather intriguing. Stelle was quiet at first, adjusting to her new role as a Nameless. In a way, she was adjusting to existing. Like March 7th, Stelle did not have any memory of her past. Yet, it didn’t take long for her to become comfortable.
The Astral Express became even more lively. Dan Heng was used to the sound of March and Stelle bickering over something inconsequential. He’d always hear laughter or yelling coming from March’s room whenever Stelle paid her a visit. Stelle started to play games with Welt, and has somehow survived Himeko’s coffee multiple times. Pom-Pom also became fond of Stelle due to her eagerness to help out around the Express.
The woman was an intriguing character. She was kind and helpful, but also extremely brash. Impulsive. It was as if she wanted to try everything no matter the risk to wellbeing.
Dan Heng didn’t make it easy for her, but Stelle slowly chipped at his walls too.
She asked him many questions, intrigued by his work on the data bank, and his experience with the Express. It took him a while to get used to her visits. March didn’t find the information interesting. Himeko and Welt trusted his recordings and only checked if they needed something specific. Despite Stelle’s unpredictable nature, she showed great interest in the data he gathered.
On one of her visits she brought him a stack of articles from Jarilo-VI, and laid them all across his desk. He raised an eyebrow to her.
“What’s this?”
Stelle looked at him, a wide grin across her face.
“Consider it a donation! For the data bank.” Dan Heng hummed a response and shifted through the papers. He recognized immediately that it was a detailed account of key points in Belobog’s history. Technology, important figures, artworks, the list went on and on.
“This is impressive Stelle, where’d you get this from?”
“Oh,” Stelle said, “I’m surprised you didn’t hear, but I was curating Belobog’s History and Culture Museum.”
Dan Heng stared at her for a moment.
“How did that happen?” he asked.
Stelle recapped her meeting with Pela and how she got roped into becoming the manager of the museum. She told stories of how she tracked down artists, thieves, helped conduct interviews, and restored technology.
Dan Heng realized he was foolish for not asking her what she did while she was away.
“You should come visit,” Stelle said as she closed out her story, “I know you’d enjoy it. Plus, we’ve worked super hard to make it look nice.”
“Despite all our travels I rarely get to visit museums, so I may take you up on that.”
Her smile seemed to grow even wider.
“I’d love that, just let me know,” she said, “but, don’t slack on reading those, I copied those specifically for you.”
Dan Heng tilted his head at her.
“Well museums don’t go into all the details, that’s what those papers are for. It’s notes I took while doing research for the exhibits, I’m not sure if they’re legible or organized but I tried my best.”
He took a closer look at the notes below him and realized quickly that the papers were a mix of typed notes and hand written. Stelle wrote in the margins information she learned, doodles on the maps of where things were, relationships between historical figures. It wasn’t the cleanest method of recording information but it was legible and detailed.
“You didn’t have to Stelle,” he said, a little embarrassed that someone went through this effort for him.
Stelle shrugged.
“The work was already done anyway, if I knew I was going to hand these off to you I would’ve done a nicer job. It’s not a big deal. I know you like this kind of stuff.”
Dan Heng knew that Stelle was a generous person. She constantly gave her time and energy to people, but it felt different being on the receiving end.
“I really appreciate it,” he said, “if you don’t mind could you stay a little longer? I want to ask you more questions on all of this.”
“Of course!”
This wasn’t the first visit into his cabin and it wouldn’t be the last. After a while he began to recognize the sound of her steps, the rhythm of her knocks. As much as he tried to ignore it, her visits became something he looked forward to.
-
The events at the Xianzhou Luofu exhausted Dan Heng. The ships beauty was unparalled, but the events with Jing Yuan and Blade brought up horrendous memories of his past life. Dan Heng thought he could fool himself into escaping Dan Feng’s sins. That his time spent in the Shackling Prison would have been enough, but he should have known you could never truly run from yourself.
Dan Heng would never be Dan Feng, but he would do something good in his place.
As he laid on the floor of his cabin, he tried to think of all the data he gathered and how to categorize everything. Phantilya was an exhausting battle, but sleep did not come easy to him even while trying to distract his thoughts.
Familiar footsteps echoed through the hall and Dan Heng listened in closely. They stopped in front of his doorway with a pause before tentatively knocking. He could tell Stelle was nervous, she never hesitated. It would be easy to deny her. To tell her that he was tired, she’d understand. But seeing her always made him feel lighter.
He rose up from his futon and told her to come in.
She entered in slowly and observed him.
“Hey.” Stelle said.
“Hello.” He greeted her in return.
An awkward silence weighed the room before she blurted out.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
Stelle walked closer to him and chewed on her bottom lip.
“When you first talked to me at the Scalegorge Waterscape, I didn’t know what to say.”
Dan Heng was surprised. He didn’t think she thought about that still. She didn’t seem like the type to dwell on things.
“It’s alright Stelle…if you don’t mind me asking, what were you thinking?”
Stelle looked away, embarrassed.
“It was just that we learned so much about you in a short period of time, I guess I was just shocked. It’s such a dumb reason but it was just a lot to take in.”
She looked back at him, determined to get her point across.
“I was also oddly…happy. I was happy to get to know more about you.”
Dan Heng frowned. He didn’t know why anyone would be happy to know those things about him .
“It’s not exactly a happy story.”
“No but it’s your story. Even though your not Dan Feng his story has affected you.”
Stelle moved closer to him and took his hands into her own, and gave a firm squeeze.
“I’m happy to know your story Dan Heng, and I’m glad to be your friend now.”
She smiled at him, eyes sparkling with fondness.
“Plus, I’m sure I’ve added much more action to your narrative.”
Dan Heng could feel heat rising to his face but he squeezed her hands in return.
“More like a lot of stress.” She laughed at the statement, and it rang throughout his whole body.
-
The first thing Dan Heng realized was that he was surrounded by a fiery heat. The next was that Stelle wasn’t next to him. One moment they were in the air, traveling smoothly through Amphoreus. The next he heard metal cracking and flames bursting.
“Stelle!” He yelled out, the crash had thrown him to the opposite end of the cart. He pulled himself up and struggled towards her. She was slumped over. He ran a hand over her, trying to feel her breathe, but felt a hot sticky heat. Her clothes were soaked through with her blood. Dan Heng’s breathe hitched, stomach dropped, but he needed to focus on getting her out of the cart. He could feel the flames licking at their skin.
There’s too much blood. He fought many battles in his past and current life. He knew what fatal blood loss looked like.
Dan Heng ignored the thought and shoved it away. His priority was the woman in his arms.
“Stelle, I got you, you hear me?”
Only the sounds of crackling flames answered him.
He carried her gently out of the cart, stumbling over the crushed buildings remains.
“There’s so much I need to tell you.”
She needed to know he appreciated her presence and her acceptance. Her addition to his narrative. He wanted to continue to see her smile and hear her voice. To make her laugh. He wanted her to continue stressing him out with her impulsive actions.
He remembered the first time she held his hands, when she told him she was thankful for him.
Dan Heng wanted so much. He had never wanted something so badly before. After being released from the Shackling Prison he felt he couldn‘t ask for more, but he would beg for this.
“Please.” He pleaded to whatever Aeon would dignify them with THEIR gaze. and continued until he felt a flash of pain and all he saw was black.
-
When he woke up to see her standing over him he thought he died. It’s not until he realized she looked embarrassed that he reconsidered.
“How long have you been up?” she asked, a slight blush appearing on her face.
They were still in Amphoreus. She’s alive and well spirited, but anxious. There wasn’t even a speck of blood on her.
“You’re staring Dan Heng?”
He looked away and tried to gather his thoughts.
“Apologies, the crash took a lot out of me.”
Stelle relaxed and showed him her bright smile.
“I’m just glad you’re alright,” she said softly.
Dan Heng recalled the blood on his hands. The warm liquid seeping through his fingers as Stelle remained still. He tried to calm his racing heartbeat.
“I’m glad you’re alright too.”
-
He knew Stelle taking the trial of Oronyx was their only option but he didn’t expect for Stelle’s prophecy to unveil a somber realization. Dan Heng felt tense as he stared out into the holy city until he heard a rustling from the chaise behind him. He rushed towards her as she woke up from her sleep.
She still looked groggy and a bit disoriented as he helped her stand. Stelle rubbed her eyes and yawned, looking as if she hasn’t just received devastating news. Her eyes moved towards him and her expression shifted from relaxed to concern. Dan Heng imagined his face betrayed his thoughts.
“So, I guess you heard.”
“Mem told me everything.”
Mem’s apologizing became muffled noise to him. He could only focus on her face. The blood on his hands and her still body seemed fresh in his mind.
She forced a small smile and averted her gaze.
“Well, I guess I can say that I’ve truly done it all right?”
Her humor doesn’t land with the same brevity but she continued.
“I’m not worried. Well maybe a little,” she said, “but we’ve handled so many other things. Death is just another to add to the list.”
“I’m glad you’re taking this well,” Dan Heng replied stiffly.
“I’m a member of the Astral Express, the Galactic Baseballer, and the first Nameless demigod right? I have to remain composed. Like you.” She winked at him.
If only she knew how wrong her assessment was.
He told her about their entry into Amphoreus, no longer able to hold it in. He doesn’t tell her he saw her dead body among the dead of his nightmares. She’s silent as he spoke, a rare occurrence, but Stelle knew when the mood needed to shift. He hoped that his emotions didn’t slip though excessively. Mem seemed to have left them alone.
“I’m sorry.” She said after a moment of silence.
“Why are you apologizing?” He thinks back to their meetings in his cabin, after she learned of his past, when things started to shift ever so slightly between them.
Before answering, Stelle walked up to him and drew her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest. Dan Heng was used to her physical touches but they always knocked the air out of him.
“It must have been difficult seeing me like that…it never gets easier seeing people you care about in pain. I couldn’t imagine what I’d do if it was you in my place.”
Dan Heng couldn’t form a response, but she’s right. It never got easier. So he returned her hug slowly, still not used to the movement. He was never and still is not great at returning physical affections. Or comforting. He was practical to a fault. But he would at least try.
He wrapped one arm across her back and threaded his other hand through her hair, resting it along the back of her neck. Letting out a shaky breathe, he rested his head against hers. Even if she was a bundle of memories, her presence felt the same. Her warmth felt as if she was truly whole. After all that they’ve been through he couldn’t lose this. He was determined to bring her out of this planet alive and back to the place they both call home. Slowly, he placed a gentle kiss along her forehead, as if sealing his promise within her.
are dan heng and the other express members on the team trades from other teams (if that happens on baseball? I don't really know the rules on that actually) cause they're not from amphoreous? if not, how did they end up on the amphoreous team?
thank you so much!! i'm actually just building this team based on the current roster of chrysos heirs in the Amphoreus patch :> in Dan Heng's case, i envisioned him as being scouted from one of the minor league baseball teams by Anaxa and subsequently transferred over to the Amphoreus major league baseball team. thanks for dropping by!
it's been a while since i've been on here! let me make my welcome by posting the ongoing AU i've been working on, the amphoreus baseball team AU :)
so far we have our lead off hitter and Amphoreus' star pitcher, Phainon! As ace and Amphoreus' golden boy, he helps set up big plays for the team and boasts the highest batting average out of the whole team. our boy is ambidextrous (a rarity) and is considered a rising star in the baseball league.
we also have Mydei, our core defense, as catcher and 4th in batting order - alongside our other defensive players: Hysilens (shortstop, 6th in batting order) and Dan Heng (2nd baseman, 7th in batting order). Then we have Cipher, our center fielder, and 2nd in the batting order.
Mydei has quick reflexes, and is an imposing tactician on the field, coordinating seamlessly with Phainon to make surprising yet effective plays. With the strongest fielding arm, he is the cornerstone of Amphoreus' defense.
Hysilens has the most experience on the team, having been with Amphoreus the most seasons, and as shortstop she is the pillar of infield defense. Hysilens is our team's captain, the most reliable presence on the field, and helps boosts morale at the team's lowest points.
Cipher is often known as a sacrifice hitter, helping our other players move on to the next base at the cost of being out, but most people underestimate her agility. As center fielder, she covers the most range and is relied on by the whole team for her excellent defensive capabilities.
Dan Heng is the newest addition to the team, scouted for his infield defense and making a name for himself as second baseman. despite being 7th in the batting lineup, his strength and willpower should not be underestimated, and he often acts as the clutch hitter for the team.
the rest of the chrysos heirs will be integrated into the team eventually! all designs aren't finalized yet, and the lineup is still open to change :> i hope you all enjoy this little AU as we wait for the release of 3.7 hehe
i'm also on tiktok @buko.pandang and @bukosketches, and on instagram @bukopandang c:
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